Can opening and spout forming device



w J. F. WALTERS El'AL CAN OPENING AND SPOUT FORMING DEViCE Filed Nov. 13, 1951 I INVENTORS J.F. Walters R E.C.'FLsher Cl aCPg Patented Dec. 9, 1952 Jenn F.=Walters, BattleCreek, and Edward C. i'Fisher, Mattawan, -;Mich.

aismicacaonmvemsa-13, 1951,;saiamasfisszl "The present invention, relates V bmasiy to i 'can opening devices, and in its specific iphasestor 3a spoutforming'oanjopener. v

Manyforms of can openers haveibeen proposed in thepast. and a few of Ithem liaveiincluiie'd 5 spo'ut forminglme s iThenan.openersof the latterityneihave nmoredefiniteiliinitations suehas i b n adaptable Tfor [use Ton different size cansf'opemtm only onnansedenh cans fir comiensed cans qommonly do nothaveflangedendls, I5 quire ltihgpressure on the danio'penerfhandle to formfa l'spout with the-anaemia (ran er 66f itinping the can and spiliing part or rot-"its'Qcbfitents.1 It was a recogmath or these dl fi'i'ofilties andshoritcormng or the"prioraitfaiidthei'Ifeajiif a Simplified s out formin'g oan-opener which"leadtto"the coneption andfdevelopmentof the present invention.

urccerainglyamongthe objects of "the pre ent invention is theprovisron of a spoutforming type of canpp'ener Whiehpperates on all sizes of cans, do'es-not'requirethe c a'nj to" have a "flanged e'n'd, andivher'einno tilting a'tion is required forthe rmatio of g r another at nesting,initherpiereihgmo i tion fof "the oamopener and 'a'dafitd tobass' thereulith ihtovtlge ean and then" upon. squeezing "the handle porti'onof the hook-ended "Inemlier toward the s ap d frame; portion carrying saidlpier'o'e'r said "hoc'ik endWill more outward a I spout betweenthe gui'd'ej membrsprqiecong' from the frarn'eiportiona' n o'ntat wirnlth'auter meant: the can opened. "Afurtheri'ob 0t 15 t6 proviuea spanner p H ts fiefo, anop nerwahapushrimoun d, on the frame thereof enemy adj a'cent "thelpiereer, guidem'embers, iandiholiken'dof a Stormers; handlemfemloer 'tdproindte Stability. or; the dev ioe wringin -piercing uperautnaauibyper the piercer and guide members, ,vi lienlinispou sn i 8 l3 i JOhO1d the can .and Hanger of itipping "it: ever during. Sb'mit operation.

(Cl. LEO-46$) afterfully"described.andfpartieulairly" A further-object is t make-aspen v typeof can opener wherein'theihook-erided po 1; forming memberis readilyremovabl effor*easeof washing and drying the-complete" assembly related ends, the ,inventio W can opening *and spout "formingijme in the claims, the annexed-drawingfaind lowingdesoription setting forth means ortoarryirig out the closed means -il 1ustrating, how various "ways "which the principle invention may -"be-' used. In the -annexed;drawing: l p r Figure 1 shows aside vie'yt oP-theic'an open and spout -forming -;olevic'e df t-he' present'inven e tion-in'positionready for use. 7 I 7 I M V Figure zfshowsane'nd viewof' thegplevioe ofthe present invention as seen from the left hand efid of Figure 1. V Figure 3 "shows a bettomrview ofthedevioe illustrated inFigurel'. I Figure 4 shows=-an-'elilarged substantially longitudinal section 'view of the'head -portion"of the can opening and spout fQrmiIig-deViCejffiQr the piercing member of same'has-loeen forcediinto the can and beforeform ing'a 'spout"therein.

Figure 5 is a view similar toFigure 4' and-With the hook-ended handle -member jpivotallrmoyed to spout forming '-position. 7 A

Referring more; particularly to thedrawing'it will be noted that the can opener'assemb'l'y ih a frame portion 2 particularly adaptedtob'e aide as a forging or 'bystan pingfrom axsing'leipijecefcjf suitable sheetmetal. Where sheet metal'lis used, the same is preferably formed to 'produoe a handle 3 with'downturned'reinforcin 'flanges' i and s at each side. At the end :or mos ere forcing flanges they are preferably provided h. depending, guide members 6. and? havingn'otelies 8 and 9 in their forward edge to provi'de'eiearand 7 under conditions of useof the device. 'FI heseY. guide members .6 and "i are also prefrahlyt-pro vided with ears I6 and H which are adaptard be bent "inward toward each other as islindr e particularly shown inIigures 2 and 13 lto provide support for the piercing member] l'2,ian1 i ito whiqh they can be spot Welded or otherwise fastnedfif desired. This'piercingmemberlmay beinv the preferably provided with a rib 24 as shown, not only for strength but also for another purpose to be later described.

Mounted on the upper edge of frame 2 above uide members 6 and 1 is a knob I4 which can be fastened in place in any convenient manner such as by means of a screw l extending through a perforation 16 in frame 2 as is more particularly shown in Figures 4 and 5. This knob l4 being above the piercing member and close to same provides an ideal and simplified member adapted for pushing to force thepoint I3 of piercing member 12 into the can 25 while its movement is guided by means of guide members 6 and 1.

In order to form the spout, there is provided a movable handle member [1 mounted on a pivot member [8 of any suitable type such as a cotter pin. Frame 2 would be suitably perforated at opposite sides in alignment for such pivot memb er-so that the handle can be pivotally mounted substantially in the position shown. Movable handle member I1 is also provided with a head member I 9 having a depending hook end adapted to fit into the rib 24 in piercing member l2 so that the point of such hook will follow the piercing member into the can during the piercing operation. The movable handle member is also provided with a perforation 20 adapted to fit pivot member I8 as is more particularly illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

,In order to hold the edge of head member 19 normally in the recess of piercing member [2, a compression spring 2 I, which may be of any convenient form. such as a coil spring as shown, is mounted on movable handle member l1 at a prescribed location which for instance may be determined by means of a notch 22 in which the spring may be anchored by peining or in any other convenient manner. Under these conditions if movable handle member 11 is removed the spring will go with it, a thing which will facilitate washing and sterilizing the whole apparatus In order to stabilize the upper end of spring 2| under conditions of use, frame 2 may have a tab member 23 formed therein and bent downward as shown in Figures 4 and 5. This same tab member 23 may also act as a stop member relative to the spout forming movement of movable handle member l1, as is more particularly shown in Figure 5.

To use the device, it is placed over the top edge of the can 25 with guide members 6 and 1 contacting the outer face of the can as shown in Figure 1. By holding the device substantially horizontal and pushing down on knob M the piercing point iii of piercing member I2 will be forced down into the can until the upper end of notches 8 and 9 of guide members 6 and 1 will come in contact with the top of the can. Such procedure carries the hook-shaped point of head member [9 of the movable handle member 11 into the top of the can as is shown in Figure 4. Then by pivotally moving movable handle member l1 toward frame member 2, in the manner of a pair of pliers or shears, head member I9 will pivot about pivot member l8 to the position shown in Figure 5. During this movement guide members 6 and 1 bear against the outer face of the can and support same during the formation of the spout between them, and in doing so they limit the width of the spout and provide the holding power necessary to resist any tendency of the can to move and prevent the spout formation. With the spout formed, the can opening and spout forming device is then ready to be removed and washed or rinsed to prepare same for the next time it is to be used.

This device can be made from ordinary mild steel or even a better steel if desired. However, mild steel is relatively easy to work and the point l3 of piercing member l2 will hold its edge for a long period of time without any special treatment. However, if a higher grade of steel is used same can be heat treated to harden and lengthen the life of the point I3, or if mild steel is used and its piercing powers are to be increased, the piercing point can be case hardened by the familiar cyanide process or even by the pack hardening carbonization process, coupled of course, in each instance, with appropriate heat treatment to provide the necessary hardness.

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of those explained, change being made as regards the apparatus herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

1. A can opening and spout forming device, comprising a frame member which is in the form of a handle having a pair of spaced apart guide members projecting sidewise from said handle and adapted to contact the outer side face of a can to be opened, a piercing member substantially between said guide members and adapted to be forced into the end of said can, and means pivotally mounted on said frame member between said guide members for use with same to form a spout in said can between said guide members.

2. A can opening and spout forming device as set forth in claim '1, wherein said pivotally mounted means has a head member with point extending along the piercing member, said point being adapted to pass into the top of said can with said piercing member when the latter is forced thereinto in position for forming said spout.

3. A can opening and spout forming device as set forth in claim 1, wherein there is a pivot.

member extending crosswise of said frame adjacent said piercing member and between said sidewise projecting guide members, said pivotally mounted means being mounted on said pivot member, said pivotally mounted means having a head member with a point extending along said piercing member and adapted to pass into the top of said can with said piercing member when the latter is forced thereinto in position for forming said spout, said pivotally mounted means having an operating handle extending from said head member in position such that when same is moved toward said handle portion of said frame, the point of said head member will move away from said piercing member and bend the edge of the end of said can outward between said guide members to form a spout.

4. A can opening and spout forming device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said piercing member has an outwardly extending rib, and said pivotally'mounted means for forming the spout has a head member, extending into said rib, said head member having a point adapted to pass into the top of said can with said piercing member when the latter is forced thereinto in position for forming said spout.

5. A can opening and spout forming device,

which comprises a frame member which is in the form of a handle having at one end thereof a pair of spaced-apart guide members projecting sidewise from and on the same side of said handle and having a knob at the opposite side of said frame and adjacent said guide members, said guide members being adapted to contact the outer side face of a can to be opened, a piercing member substantially between said guide members and adapted to be forced into the end of said can, and means pivotally mounted on said frame member between said guide members for use with same to form a spout in said can between said guide members.

6. A can opening and spout forming device as set forth in claim 5, wherein said piercing member has an outwardly extending rib extending lengthwise thereof, and said pivotally mounted means for forming said spout has a head member extending into said rib, said head member having a point between said guide members and adapted to pass into the top of said can with said piercing member when the latter is forced thereinto in position for forming said spout.

7. A can opening and spout forming device as set forth in claim 5, wherein there is a pivot member extending crosswise of said frame adjacent said piercing member and between said sidewise projecting guide members but adjacent the frame portion from which they extend, said pivotally mounted means being mounted on said pivot member, said pivotally mounted means having a head member with a point extending along said piercing end thereof with said point adapted to pass into the top of said can with said piercing member when the latter is forced thereinto in position for forming said spout, said pivotally mounted means having an operating handle extending from said head member in position such that when same is pivotally moved toward said handle portion of said frame, the point of said head member will move away from said piercing member and bend the edge of said can outward between said guide members to form a spout.

8. A can opening and spout forming device as set forth in claim 5, wherein said piercing member has an outwardly extending rib extending lengthwise thereof, a pivot member extending crosswise of said frame adjacent said piercing member and between said sidewise projecting guide members but adjacent the frame portion from which they extend, said pivotally mounted means being mounted on said pivot member, said pivotally mounted means having a head member extending into said rib, said head member having a point between said guide members and adapted to pass into the top of said can with said piercing member when the latter is forced thereinto in position for forming said spout, said pivotally mounted means having an operating handle extending from said head member in position such that when same is moved toward said handle portion of said frame, the point of said head member will move out of said groove in said piercing member and engage and bend the edge of the end of said can outward between said guide members to form a spout.

JOHN F. WALTERS. EDWARD C. FISHER.

No references cited. 

